Reversal News Desk,
The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections may be held in the last week of January or the first week or middle of February next year, the university administration has said. However, active student organizations have given different reactions to this. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir say that they have no objection to the elections at this time. All the reforms that DUCSU needs can be done within this time. On the other hand, the Bangladesh Nationalist Chhatra Dal is of the opinion that the university administration is trying to rush the elections with a motive.
The last DUCSU election was held after a long 28 years in March 2019. The term of that parliament ended in March 2020. After that, the elections have been suspended for a long four years. Although students have demanded elections at various times, the university administration has not been seen taking any initiative. After the uprising of the students and the public on August 5, the demand for the student union elections has been raised again. In the meantime, last Sunday, Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed said that DUCSU elections may be held in late January or February.
Regarding the elections, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement is saying that since there is interest among students in DUCSU, they want the elections in January or February.
Abu Baker Majumder, a member of the executive committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said, “DUCSU has not had an elected representative for a long time. Now, through the July mass uprising, we are seeing that desire again among the students.”
Abu Baker Majumder told Prothom Alo on Monday that DUCSU needs democratic reform, but it is not centralized. The committee on the ‘nature and type of student politics on campus’ can work on it for the reform. There must be rational reform. However, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement wants the elections in January or February due to the interest of students in DUCSU.
Abu Sadiq Kayem, president of Dhaka University of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, also said the same. He told Prothom Alo on Monday, “We applaud the deadline given by the university administration for the elections. We think that the reforms that DUCSU needs can be done within this time.”
However, Nasir Uddin, general secretary of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, has a different view. He told Prothom Alo that the university administration is talking about February for the DUCSU elections. If that happens, it will be a hasty election. He also said that this is being done intentionally. The anti-discrimination student movement is talking about this deadline, and the Shibir agrees with it.
Nasir Uddin also said that there should be discussions about the DUCSU elections first. There can be discussions with teachers and students. Some issues that can be reformed can also be discussed; but no discussions have been held with anyone on these issues yet.
The university administration has said that the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections may be held in the last week of January or the first week or middle of February next year. However, active student organizations have given different reactions to this. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir say that they have no objection to the elections at this time. All the reforms that DUCSU needs can be done within this time. On the other hand, the Bangladesh Nationalist Chhatra Dal is of the opinion that the university administration is trying to rush the elections with a motive.
After a long 28 years, the last DUCSU election was held in March 2019. The term of that parliament ended in March 2020. After that, the elections have been suspended for a long four years. Although students have demanded elections at various times, the university administration has not been seen taking any initiative. After the uprising of the students and the public on August 5, the demand for a new student parliament election arose. Meanwhile, Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed said last Sunday that DUCSU elections may be held at the end of January or in February.
DUCSU has not had an elected representative for a long time. Now, through the July mass uprising, we can see that desire again among the students.
Abu Baker Majumder, a member of the executive committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement
Regarding the elections, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement is saying that since interest has been created among the students for DUCSU, they want the elections to be held in January or February.
Abu Baker Majumder, a member of the executive committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said, ‘DUCSU has not had an elected representative for a long time. Now, through the July mass uprising, we can see that desire again among the students.’
Abu Baker Majumder told Prothom Alo on Monday that DUCSU needs democratic reform, but it is not centralized. The committee on the ‘Nature and Type of Student Politics on Campus’ can work on it for reform. There must be rational reform. However, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement wants the elections in January or February due to the students’ interest in DUCSU.
Abu Sadiq Kayem, the president of Dhaka University of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, also said the same. He told Prothom Alo on Monday, “We applaud the deadline given by the university administration for the elections. We think that the reforms needed by DUCSU can be done within this time.”
However, Nasir Uddin, general secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Chhatra Dal, has a different view. He told Prothom Alo that the university administration is talking about February for the DUCSU elections. If that happens, it will be a hasty election. He also said that this is being done intentionally. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement is talking about this deadline, and the Shibir agrees with it.
Nasir Uddin also said that the DUCSU elections should be discussed first. There can be discussions with teachers and students. Some issues that can be reformed can also be discussed; but no discussion has been held with anyone on these issues yet.
We applaud the deadline given by the university administration for the elections. We think that the reforms that DUCSU needs can be done within this time.
Abu Sadiq Kayem, Dhaka University President of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir
In this regard, Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam told Prothom Alo, “Student organizations have only started roaming the campuses after the July mass uprising. Due to the sole dominance of Chhatra League for the last 15 years, it has not been possible to conduct any kind of activities. We think that elections need to be held as soon as possible. However, the organizations should be given enough time to convey the message of their goals and objectives to the students on campus.”
Earlier, a meeting was held last Wednesday night with other active student organizations of the anti-discrimination student movement. After the meeting, Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said that 30 active student organizations, including the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, have reached a consensus on the demand to hold student council elections in universities and colleges in the country by the last week of January or the first week of February.
After the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement mentioned February regarding the DUCSU elections, the university administration is talking about elections in February—the idea of the student group is not correct, said Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed. He told Prothom Alo on Monday, “We did not talk about February considering who is saying what. Since the DUCSU elections have not been held for a long time, there has been interest among students in this regard. Therefore, we want to hold the elections as soon as possible.”
What the leftist organizations are saying
Regarding the DUCSU elections, Jabir Ahmed Jubel, General Secretary of the Revolutionary Students’ Alliance, said, “Some work must be done before holding the elections. Changes must be made to the power structure of DUCSU’s constitution. Its constitutional reform must be done based on everyone’s opinions. DUCSU elections must be faculty-based. If the university administration can complete these reforms by January or February, then they have no problem going to the elections.”
Bangladesh Students’ Union’s Dhaka University President Meghmallar Basu also said the same thing. He said, there is no point in holding elections without DUCSU reforms. If there is no reform this time, there will never be another one. If the university administration can make those reforms by February, then they have no problem going to the elections.
Stating that regular student council elections are the expectation of all students and student organizations, Bangladesh Students Federation General Secretary Saikat Arif told Prothom Alo that even before the last DUCSU elections held in 2019, some amendments to the DUCSU constitution were proposed by student organizations. In the current DUCSU constitution, the president (vice-chancellor) can set the agenda of all meetings by virtue of his office and can even expel elected representatives. Reforming such undemocratic clauses is very urgent. The president of the student council should also be from the student leadership. Discussions are underway across the country about proportional elections. Such elections can be considered at the university level.
Saikat Arif said that even if the university decides to hold elections by the end of February, there will still be about two months for reforms. This seems to be enough time. They have no objection to arranging elections after making these reforms. However, the university administration must ensure that the student council elections are held at a specific time every year.
